Getting Trolled: What To Do When Your Brand Is The Victim

Trolling can happen to anyone at any given time, but how you handle it is what’s going to get you through it.

Speaking of, you may be familiar with the recent Cracker Barrel saga involving Brad’s wife and millions of fans jumping on the #JusticeforBradsWife bandwagon. Sure, trolling can be serious and cause significant brand damage, but you can’t help but see the humour found in this particular case.

Of course, as funny as it may be to observe from a distance, the last thing you want is your brand undergoing internet trolling by fans who just don’t seem to want to stop.

Here’s what you do if you find your Facebook business page under attack:

1. REPLY WITH HUMOUR (IF YOU CAN)

It’s important to be funny if you’re going to go that route. There’s nothing worse than a company wanting to combat a troll, by coming across as offensive. Be sure to use humour tactfully; turning a bad situation into a thing of the past quite quickly.

2. ACT WITH FACTS

Sometimes, the best way to turn a bad comment into something manageable is by replying with a well-known fact. It’s important to nip a bad comment or review in the butt as soon as possible to avoid it turning into another Cracker Barrel saga.

3. AVOID BECOMING A TROLL YOURSELF

Some brands overstep the boundary between being funny and being mean by becoming a troll themselves. Unless you’re a large corporation or well-known company, stay clear of this tactic. Followers are much more likely to stick with a large brand than support a newbie that becomes mean.

4. HOPE IT GOES AWAY SOON

Another tactic to use is keeping quiet; not giving in to the trolls. “To defeat the troll we must understand the troll. Lesson one: never feed a troll.” Sometimes, the best way to handle your brand being trolled is to keep quiet and hope that someone else becomes more enjoyable to troll than your Facebook business page. Hang in there. It’ll be okay in the end.

As with most things on the internet, it has a very short lifespan until something else becomes more popular. In the meantime, you may have to lay low for a little while until you’re able to catch up with your brand; hoping that you come out the other end still fully intact.

Need Help Managing Your Online Presence?

Elite Online Solutions is a reputable digital marketing agency, fully equipped to handle trolls from every walk of life.